Glow at the Gardens and 17 Things to do in Denver this Week

This week there are slimy parasites to see and gardens to roam. Start your week off by checking out some creepy crawlies at the Parasite Paranoia Exhibit. Later, take a stroll at Glow at the Gardens at the Denver Botanic Gardens. If you are into gaming, go check out DreamHack Denver or get into the spirit of the season at Broadway Halloween Parade and Giant Pumpkin Festival. If none of those grab your attention, check out Nick Offerman’s “Full Bush” tour or Her Paris exhibition opening. However you end up spending your week, make sure and check out what Denver has to offer.

Monday, October 16

Parasite Paranoia Exhibit

Photo Courtesy of Butterfly Pavilion

When: October 16-29, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Where: Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 W 104th Ave., Westminster

Cost: $12 at the door

The Lowdown: Come and join Butterfly Pavilion in celebrating BUGtober at the Parasite Paranoia Exhibit. Dive into the world of blood-sucking, pain-making parasites that make you their host. Learn about these slimy creatures with Butterfly Pavilion and get a good sight at what they look like and how they lurk.

Tuesday, October 17

Ai Weiwei Ribbon Cutting

The Lowdown: Come and celebrate the opening of a Year with Ai Weiwei Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads at the Ai Weiwei ribbon cutting. The event will start with a ribbon cutting ceremony, followed by a reception and curator talk with Taliesin Thomas. Guests will meet at the Sea Lion Fountain on the north end of Civic Center Park at 5:30 p.m. to view the exhibit and hear a brief opening about the exhibit’s display that’ll be in Denver October 2017-2018. Guests will then return to the McNichols Civic Center Building for the reception and curator talk at 6:15 p.m.

Glow at the Gardens

The Lowdown: Come and join Denver Botanic Gardens for Glow at the Gardens. There will be large pumpkin displays, live music from a DJ, pumpkin carving demos and more. Seasonal drinks and food will be available from Offshoots Café, Hive Garden Bistro and more. Come and enjoy a scavenger hunt and costume party as you walk through the lit-up gardens. This event sells out every year, so get your tickets in advance.

F*ckUp Nights

The Lowdown: Come and join Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox in celebrating F*ckUp Nights. Three speakers, Jessica Manuszak, Madeleine Zinn and Joshua Wills will be sharing their failures, or f*ck-ups in life and business at the event. There will be time to ask questions and visit after their stories. The first beer is on the house.

Editor’s note: 303 Magazine is a media sponsor of this event

Thursday, October 19

And Longing is Overthrown

The Lowdown: Come and join ATC DEN in the exhibition opening of And Longing is Overthrown. Two Colorado Artists, Jason Lee Gimbel and Christopher R. Perez will present their work of charcoal drawings and photography. The artists opening reception will feature kombucha, wine, beer and more for you to enjoy.

Cirque Italia

The Lowdown: Come and enjoy a magical show at Cirque Italia. Cirque Italia is the first water circus to come to town. Experience acrobats, aerial artists and more at this mind-blowing circus event. Dance performances and strength acts will also be featured at the water themed circus.

Friday, October 20

The Future Project

The Lowdown: Come and join the McNichols Project in the celebrating the last event in a three event series at The Future Project. You will get to enjoy futuristic brews, cocktails and food as you experience the immersive art event. There will be two floors of cinematic and immersive art that you can peruse. The ticket price includes five drink tickets, food, music and interactive art.

Stranger Roll 2

The Lowdown: Come and join EXDO Event Center in a monthly Roll event, Stranger Roll 2. Stranger Roll 2 will be an ’80s horror-themed roller skate party, where you can don your best ’80s costume and roll the night away. The event is 21+ only. Skates are included in the ticket price.

DreamHack Denver

The Lowdown: Come and enjoy the biggest digital gaming festival at DreamHack Denver. This three-day festival will feature a 24-hour Local Area Network Party, professional gaming tournaments, virtual reality demos and more. Some of the tournaments offer a winning prize of upwards of $10,000. Music by DJ Vanic will also be available for you to jam out to.

Art Fitness Training Track 1

The Lowdown: Come and join Denver Museum of Contemporary Art for Art Fitness Training Track 1. This three-part participatory workshop will challenge you to learn how to fully appreciate contemporary art. You will be able to learn about how to understand contemporary art at different locations throughout the city. You can sign up for all sessions or pick and choose which ones you want to attend.

Saturday, October 21

Broadway Halloween Parade

Photo Courtesy of Broadway Halloween Parade

When: October 21, 6 p.m.

Where: The parade travels down Broadway from E 3rd Ave. to Alameda Ave

Cost: Free

The Lowdown: Come and enjoy Denver’s only Halloween themed parade at the Broadway Halloween Parade. Wear your favorite Halloween costume and watch as a parade of floats, bands, marchers and more entertain you. At the end of the event, everyone is asked to march in the street to bring the parade to a close.

Boo at the Zoo

The Lowdown: Come and join the Denver Zoo in celebrating the Halloween season at Boo at the Zoo. This is the 33rd annual Boo at the Zoo event. There will be trick-or-treat stations, creepy crawly animal demos and more. There will also be different magic and juggling shows.

Giant Pumpkin Festival

Photo Courtesy of Old Colorado CIty

When: October 21, 10 a.m.- 3 p.m.

Where: Old Colorado City, 2501 W Colorado Ave., Colorado Springs

Cost: Free and open to the public

The Lowdown: Come and join Old Colorado City in celebrating the Giant Pumpkin Festival. See who wins the prize for largest pumpkin in the area while also picking your own pumpkin to bring home with you. You can also win a prize for best costume. Food, music and more will be available for you to enjoy.

The Politics of Design

The Lowdown: The Denver Museum of Contemporary Art presents The Politics of Design. The Politics of Design is part of TARRA2017, an event series that features the perspectives of industry leaders and having a conversation about how design affects politics, how politics affect design and how design can be used to effect meaningful change in the world. Six different presentations will be held by six people in industry.

Second Annual Platt Park Pumpkin Patch

Photo Courtesy of What’s Up in Platt Park

When: October 21, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Where: Platt Park Pumpkin Patch, 1945 S Ogden St., Denver

Cost: Free admission

The Lowdown: Come and join Platt Park Pumpkin Patch in celebrating fall at the Secnd Annual Platt Park Pumpkin Patch event. You can pick your perfect pumpkin for free and there will also be a pumpkin decoration station, raffle, photo area and more. Donations are encouraged and will be collected for Asbury Elementary.

Sunday, October 22

Impact: Sack Lunches for the Homeless

The Lowdown: Come and join Impact during it’s Sack Lunches for the Homeless event. Pitch in $10 for an individual or $20 for a group to help make sack lunches for the homeless. You will be helping put together the lunches and handing them out in downtown Denver. Help build a better Denver and feed those who need it.

Nick Offerman: “Full Bush” Tour

The Lowdown: Come and enjoy Nick Offerman during this “Full Bush” tour. This newly added time slot for the wildly popular comic will allow you to see the Parks and Recreation star in his full glory. This tour will be traveling throughout the United States and makes its way to Denver on Sunday. Get in on the action and come and enjoy Offerman’s show.

Her Paris Exhibition Opening

The Lowdown: Come and see Her Paris’ exhibition opening at the Denver Art Museum. This new exhibition features art from exclusively women during the impressionistic time period. Over 80 paintings by 37 women artists from all over Europe and America will be featured at the exhibition.

About The Author

Jessica was born and raised in a small town in Minnesota. She moved to Denver and is now a Lifestyle and Culture Writer at 303 Magazine. She is passionate about journalism and activism. As an environmentalist, she loves nature and all that Colorado has to offer. She enjoys biking, hiking and skijoring with her two Huskies. Follow her on Twitter.